Here is a last call comment from Lynne Rosenthal (lynne.rosenthal@nist.gov)
on QA Framework : Specifications Guidelines (and Examples and Techniques)
received by the LC form system.
Submitted on behalf of: ian Jacobs
Comment type: Substantive
The comment applies to: "Overall"
Comment title: questions and suggestions
Comment:
1 In general, specifications make functional requirements. In some cases, it may be necessary to make a performance requirement. How should that be handled?
2 In UAAG 1.0, we realized that for some of our configuration requirements, it didn't matter whether the user agent offered the desired configuration or didn't implement the functionality in the first place. E.g., we decided that it was ok for a user agent to not support blinking at all, or, if blinking is implemented, to offer a configuration to turn it off. However, in other cases, the configurability was "just as important" as the functionality to be configured. Authors should consider these when they specify configuration options.
3 It might be valuable for a specification to explain how to include its requirements in another specification. This is not the same as explaining how to reference the spec, or how to claim conformance to it.
4 It might be valuable to explain some desirable characteristics of a specified technical requirement:
1 Mutual independence from other requirements
2 Expresses a minimal requirement
3 Distinguish and label: requirements, exceptions to those requirements, necessary and/or sufficient techniques for satisfying those requirements.
5 I think that more could be stated about useful ways of allowing extensibility. See, for example, how CSS (forward-compatible parsing), XML, and HTTP handle this. What should be avoided? Is the general practice of "ignore what you don't know" a good idea or a big mistake?
6 A spec should clearly indicate which illustrations (e.g., images) and examples are normative, if any.
Proposed resolution :
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